This Fourth of July, Celebrate Madison’s Gamble
The American experiment was to invite any motivated citizen to sway the republic. It’s working, in its messy way.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison had a few good ideas.
Source: Bettman, via Getty Images
My Fourth of July theme every year is the same: On this celebration of the nation, politics and political actors should be the main focus. The United States was founded in and defined by politics. We’ve never been a people, or even a territory; we are a political entity. Just as Memorial Day and Veterans Day are specifically intended to honor the armed forces and the men and women who serve in that way, Independence Day should be set aside for particularly honoring and celebrating politics.
This year I’ve been thinking especially of those newly entered into the political arena, and the waves of past entrants. We’ve now witnessed, and many have participated in, two large instances of political activism in the last decade, the current “resistance” and the earlier Tea Party. Both are very American reactions to their political environments. And both, in a way, are confirmation of James Madison’s wisdom long ago.